July 2010, Edinburgh: Independent bottler and distiller, Ian Macleod Distillers, has launched a new Limited Edition Pomerol Finish of its award winning Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, The Six Isles. 

Finished in the finest French oak Pomerol wine casks, the Limited Edition Six Isles brings a new dimension and depth to the original Blended Single Malt Scotch Whisky, enhancing its rich, peaty and honeyed flavours with spicy, red fruit notes.

Described as having a smoky, spicy nose with notes of strawberries and wine gums, the fruity, peaty body of the Pomerol Finish brings in herbal and chocolate undertones before a fresh, salty and minty finish.

Masterfully blending six full-bodied Single Malts from each of Scotland’s whisky producing islands of Islay, Jura, Skye, Mull, Orkney and Arran, The Six Isles is unique. Bringing together every distinctive style and flavour of each island, from the smoky peat from Islay to the soft, heathery and iodine notes of the Orcadian malt, The Six Isles is as a sensory voyage through the malt whiskies of the islands of Scotland. 

Taking its lead from original Pomerol wine casks, the tube and bottle label of the New Limited Edition Six Isles is an eye-catching deep red with embossed gold lettering, reflecting the high quality of the Island Blended Malt’s heritage.

Just 3,266 bottles of The Six Isles Limited Edition Pomerol Finish will be available throughout the UK and worldwide from select specialist retailers. RRP £37.49 70cl.

Established in 1933, Ian Macleod Distillers is one of the largest and most widely respected independent family companies within the spirits industry. The award winning Ian Macleod portfolio, which includes Glengoyne, King Robert II, Langs, The Six Isles and Smokehead, as well as gin, rum, and vodka, currently has combined total sales of more than one million cases, with 85% being exported to over 65 markets worldwide. 

For further information visit: www.ianmacleod.com

Ian Macleod Distillers encourages responsible drinking

 www.drinkaware.co.uk  www.scotch-whisky.org.uk

Notes  
 
The Six Isles Pomerol Finish Limited Edition
 
Description

Nose: Smoky, salty, wine gums, spicy and wild strawberries

Body: More peat smoke, soft fruity heart followed by herbal notes and chocolate.

Finish: Fresh, salty, and minty
 
Colour:  Natural and unchill-filtered
 
Wood Type;  French oak Pomerol wine casks
 
Cask Numbers: 90631-90638
 
No. of Bottles:  3266
 
Strength: 46 % 70cl
 
Distillation Date: 2003
 
Bottling Date: 2010
 
Price  £37.49

July Outturn Update: Wish List Top 5

We’re now a week into the new July Outturn, and our bottles are flying off the virtual shelves.  So much so we’ve had to replace one of the bottles in our July Best Buy Pair (see below for more details).

So you don’t miss out, we’ve put together our July Wish List – the top 5 bottles currently selling online (as rated by you, our members).  Get your hands on a bottle now before they are gone forever….

1) 93.39 Master and commander
2) 33.38 Perfect pitch of heat
3) 121.35 Simple yet complex
4) 41.45 Audrey Hepburn in a ball gown
5) 53.141 Chinese food in an old-fashioned hotel

Best Buy Pair: Buy 93.39 & 121.34* for £75 (save £9.40)
93.39 Master and commander
Campbeltown
£42.20 inc. Free P&P
Crème caramel, onion chutney, raisin and cake mix; cherry pie, blueberries and prunes came later.       

121.34 Pears in a satchel
Highland Island
£42.20 inc. P&P
Sweet and fruity with pear juice, custard and icing sugar. We also found lemon meringue, dark chocolate and white wine

Tickle Your Festival Fancy
Delve straight into the wonderful world of the single cask by joining us this August at our Members’ Room at The Vaults & 28 Queen Street as our expert explores three out-of-this-world Society drams.

SMWS Whisky Tasting & Events
World Cup Final: Viewing & BBQ – Queen Street, Sun 11 Jul
World Cup Final Viewing – London, Sun 11 Jul
Whisky Galore with matched drams – London, Wed 14 Jul
Best of Edinburgh Tasting – London, Fri 23 Jul
Summer Whisky Tasting – The Vaults, Mon 26 Jul
Stirling Preview Tasting – Golden Lion Hotel, Fri 30 Jul
Newcastle Preview Tasting – Northern Counties Club – Fri 30 Jul
Pan-Asian Curry Experience – London, Sat 31 July
Cigar and Whisky Tasting – London, Thu 5 Aug
York Preview Tasting – Bedern Hall, Fri 6 Aug
Greenock Preview Tasting – Tontine Hotel, Fri 6 Aug

Visit the Society at www.smws.co.uk for your chance to join

Miniature Kilchoman Spring 2010 Release 3yo 46%alc.

A 5cl bottling from Islay’s newest distillery.

Price excluding VAT: £7.23
£8.50 Including VAT at 17.5%

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at https://www.lfw.co.uk/

Upcoming Whisky Dinner

For those of you who can’t wait for the next WOW Expo, we are hosting a four-course whiskey dinner on August 12 at the San Francisco City Club, with whiskies specially paired by City Club Chef Michael Munoz and our guest speaker, whisky expert Ed Kohl. While the menu is still in the works, we do know that we will be tasting Isle of Skye in addition to six of the Chieftain’s Range Single Malts by Ian Macleod Distillers. The whiskies alone are worth coming out for a taste, but when paired with food, either traditional Scottish fare or something only a San Francisco chef might conjure up (or a combination of the two), it truly is a new tasting experience.

Ed will lead us through each course with his knowledgeable overview of the featured whiskies. Ed has been in the whisky promotion and distribution business for over 15 years and knows how to teach even the most novice tasters how to describe and appreciate a good Scotch. Ed represents Signatory/Edradour as their North American Marketing Manager and owns his own business, ImpEx Beverages.

“Since 1936, Ian Macleod Distillers, through its dedication to tradition and quality, has amassed an unrivaled cask stock from Scotland’s many distilleries. This enviable collection includes extremely rare malts, some from closed or mothballed distilleries.”

This tasting promises to be a real treat and is sure to sell out. The SF City Club is a business professional’s member only club. I have been able to reserve seats for WoW customers. Space is limited with priority seating for Best Dram Club members. Reserve your seat Now. $70 all inclusive! http://www.whiskiesoftheworld.com/store/index.php?cPath=20

Cheers,
Douglas Smith
(President)

… www.ralfy.com  whisky review didgerydoo  (yes, a unique ‘collectable’ non-numbered review) especially selected by eccentric epicurian ralfy and ‘finished’ in five entertaining instalments.

The Lost Blend is back…

The Tweeddale Blend, Blended Scotch Whisky has been recreated by Stonedean Limited and is now available after an absence of over 70 Years.

An indulgent blend of an aged single grain whisky and eight individually selected aged single malt whiskies with a high malt content (50% grain, 50% malt). In keeping with the original recipe it has not been chill filtered and has been bottled at 46% alcohol by volume. It contains Scotch whiskies from the Lowlands, Highlands, Speyside and Islay. Each whisky is draw from a single cask, the youngest is 10 year old and the oldest 21 years old.

The Tweeddale Blend was first produced by J & A Davidson (Est. 1820) in Coldstream by the river Tweed in the Scottish Borders. Then by Richard Day who started with the business as an office boy and took over the business in 1923. The blend continued to be produced up until World War 2 but had not been produced since.

www.stonedean.co.uk

Alasdair Day the Great Grandson of Richard Day founded Stonedean Limited with the sole purpose of recreating the lost blend using his Great Grandfather’s original cellar book passed down through the family, which contains the “recipes” for several blends produced by J & A Davidson between 1899 and 1916.

The Tweeddale Blend is currently available at Loch Fyne Whiskies and Royal Mile Whiskies

Glenrothes S 1989 20yo 55.7%alc.

Distilled 31/12/1989

Bottled: 09/04/2010

Matured in a Recharred Butt #24377

Limited to 384 bottles

If Pooh’s chum Tigger had a sister this is it and she’s called Ester, but like Tig she’s all over the place, charming and very challenging. The majority of the experience from the start is fruity esters, bananas, cream soda, Demerara sugar, bouncing all over the place and from the very first instant. On the mouth cool, chocolate and sweetness on the side of the tongue (not possible surely?). Water beefs up the fruit, then, out of the blue, tobacco! Flip-me! Where did that come from?

Ace for all the fun. Square I7 on the Flavour Map, I think.
Rich/Smoky

Price excluding VAT: £59.15
£69.50 Including VAT at 17.5%

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at https://www.lfw.co.uk/

The Dalmore Masterclass with Richard Paterson, Master Blender
Release of Clan MacKenzie, Limited Bottling
Tuesday, July 20th. 7:30 P. M.
Omni Parker House
60 School St. (corner of Tremont)
Boston, MA 02108

Reservations Required, Limited to 50,
617 367 8605 or joe@federalwine.com

Joe writes;

The Dalmore Masterclass will be a very special evening, not only because it will be led by Master Blender Richard Paterson, the man that makes The Dalmore so great. We will be the first in this state to taste the limited edition ( only 3,000 bottles made, 600 for the US) of The Clan MacKenzie bottling, a 17 Y.O. with, unusually for Dalmore, 11 years in bourbon casks and 6 years in Port. It is dedicated to the MacKenzie clan and a portion of its proceeds goes the upkeep of their Castle Leod in Strathpeffer, near Inverness.

We’ll also taste the rare and long sold-out 1973 Gonzales Byass 30 Y.O. I think Federal sold every bottle the state got.  The lineup will also include The Dalmore 12 Y.O.,15 Y.O., 18 Y.O., Grand Reserva, and the new King Alexander, a Master Blender’s masterpiece from oloroso, madeira, bourbon, Cabernet, port and marsala casks.

You will receive a bottle of The Dalmore 15 Y.O. signed by Richard Paterson ($89.99 Value). I have always had great respect for this man, one of the best in the whisky world. At Jura Day (Feis Ile 2005) Richard was was simply brilliant. I’m sure Richard will be in rare form, that you do not have to be an expert to apprciate.

Even if you are, you may learn a thing or three; This is a night for those new to single malts as well as the fanatic. There’ll be a story to tell . You’ll also have first option on the purchase of The limited Clan MacKenzie bottle.
Limited Seating, Do not miss out!!! If you have plans for this date CANCEL them!!

We will have some tasty nibbles at the end. Great event to bring a client, corporate bonding, or just a friend or co worker and come yourself, but Don’t Miss It.

$124.99 plus tax. (including The Dalmore 15 Y.O. signed by Richard Paterson)
Bottles must be picked up at Federal (Deliveries can be arranged)

Joe Howell
Federal Wine & Spirits

——————————————————————————–

Email: joe@federalwine.com
Phone: 617-367-8605
Web: http://www.federalwine.com/ 

Richard Paterson

From David Stirk of the Creative Whisky Company;

My latest batch of Exclusive Malts (cask strength – about 18 casks a year):

Coleburn 1983 26yo 48.6% Refill ex-Bourbon hogshead
Littlemill 1990 20yo 51.3% First fill ex-Bourbon barrel
Imperial 1995 15yo 50.3% First fill ex-Sherry hogshead
Tamdhu 1980 29yo 52.8% Refill ex-Bourbon hogshead
Macallan 1997 12yo 50% First fill ex-Sherry hogshead (BeNeLux only)

They are all good but the Imperial is a real surprise!

Visit the Creative Whisky Company at http://www.creativewhisky.co.uk/

A messgae from Johannes at the Malt Maniacs World Headquarters;

“I’m happy to report that we’ve found two fresh maniacs that offered surprisingly little resistance…

Gordon Homer (UK) – Of Spirit of Islay fame

and

Martin Diekmann (Germany)

Visit the Malt Maniacs at www.maltmaniacs.org